


Wolf Mother

by addledwalrus



Series: Folkloric Tales [4]
Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Original Work
Genre: Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Anger, Big Sisters, Character Death, Child Abuse, Cruelty, Death in Childbirth, Despair, Drowning, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fishing, Forests, Gen, Implied/Referenced Incest, Infant Death, Little Sisters, Murder, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Reunions, Sibling Love, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings, Single Parents, Sister-Sister Relationship, Sisters, Snow, Supernatural Elements, Swimming, Talking Animals, Violence, Winter, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 01:17:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15984503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addledwalrus/pseuds/addledwalrus
Summary: The relationship between two sisters is put to test in the land that is now Sweden.





	Wolf Mother

**Uppland, Svealand**

Per's harsh nature was known to most in the village since he first began capturing and torturing small animals as a child. He was taught how to sail a boat and cast nets by his father, something that he came to excel at due in part to his unparalleled desire to succeed.

When he had seen eighteen winters, Per participated in a swimming competition against all the other young men in the village. One unlucky competitor had the misfortune of clumsily bumping into Per by mistake and in a rage, he seized them by the hair before forcibly holding their head underwater until they ceased to resist.

If the drowning had been an isolated occurrence, Per's guilt would have been completely obvious. Unfortunately, the copious amount of splashing and flailing about of the other swimmers made it impossible for anyone to observe what had happened, so the death was pronounced an accident and a funeral held the next day.

Per reached manhood and married a meek young woman whom obeyed his every wish while enduring his cruelty. She bore him two girls in succession, to which he began beating her and demanding that the Gods bring him a son.

His wish was granted, but at the cost of her life. She lost a great amount of blood during the birth and as if fate was punishing him even more, the baby boy died suddenly just a few days after she passed.

This left him with his daughters; dark-haired Gyda and fair-haired Ingeri. Ingeri was the spitting image of her mother and displayed from a young age, a talent for homemaking that quickly won his affection.

Gyda was not seen as being sweet or pretty and she did not fare very well performing chores in the house. As such, Per would frequently berate her and allocate more taxing jobs such as scaling and gutting fish.

She came to envy her sister Ingeri for having what seemed to be an easy life and the love of their father. All the while, Ingeri resented Gyda's apparent independence and her avoiding Per's unhealthy obsession.

Animosity grew between the two girls as they became each other's unspoken enemy. Little did they know, the tension between them would eventually reach a breaking point one cold winter when the rivers had frozen over and everyone in the village focused only on surviving a day at a time.

In response to some hurtful words from Gyda earlier in the day, Ingeri crept out of the house one evening after finishing chores. She covered a rock with snow before hurling it at the other girl when she emerged from the forest with several small branches.

The rock scraped the skin off Gyda's right cheek and she dropped all of the wood in shock. Pain set in as she stared down at her with watery eyes, placed a hand up to the wound then saw the blank expression on Ingeri's face.

"You!" Sh snarled, charging straight at the other girl and ramming her to the ground before she could react. Ingeri's breath came out in ragged gasps as Gyda wrapped both hands around her dainty throat and regarded her with pure rage.

"G-Gyda...let me go...I'm sorry..." Ingeri pleaded, fearing for her life.

"Shut up!" Gyda screamed while tightening her grip and slamming Ingeri's head against the freezing ground. "I hate you! I wish you would disappear forever!"

It was then Ingeri took advantage of Gyda's emotional state and kicked the older girl in the stomach, thus enabling herself to wriggle free before making a run for the trees. Gyda gave chase while continuing to shout all sorts of threats until her anger burned out.

She slowed down to a steady walk and stared into the clearing that Ingeri had just fled through, but found no sign of her sister whatsoever. She simply shrugged and assumed that the younger girl had circled back home, before retracing her steps while fearing the punishment Per would no doubt dole out for what she'd done.

* * *

"Where is your sister?" Per asked in a quiet but menacing tone when Gyda entered the house. "I sent her out to call you back in, yet here you are all alone..."

"I don't know, father. I thought she was returning here ahead of-"

"You worthless child! I should have drowned you the moment you were born!" He suddenly bellowed, rising up from his position by the hearth and striding over to shove her against the wall so hard that she felt her bones rattle.

All that Gyda could let out was a whimper as the tears began to flow freely and she stared up at the true source of her misfortune.

"Come home with your sister...or don't come back at all. Do you understand?!"

"Y-yes, father..."

"Go out and find her! Now!"

Per let go and shoved her roughly toward the door. She dared not look back at him as she opened it and headed outside before bursting into tears once it slammed shut behind her.

* * *

Gyda curled up at the base of a sturdy pine tree and held two sticks that she tried to start a fire with to no avail. She threw them aside with a sob and resigned herself to finding a large hollow to sleep in for the night before continuing her search.

A low growl several feet away prompted her to slowly turn around just as she prepared to climb into one. Her mouth dropped open at the sight of an abnormally large wolf padding past and all she could do was pray not to become it's next meal.

It noticed her and turned it's head to reveal a pair of glowing red eyes. She gasped and stepped backwards in a rush to get away, only to lose balance and land clumsily on the ground.

The wolf came gaiting straight over and she instinctively shut both eyes while awaiting her final moments. It came as a surprise therefore, when instead of feeling the agony of teeth sinking into her flesh, she heard the voice of a kindly old woman.

"Do you wish to see your sister again, Gyda?" The wolf asked softly, it's ability to speak filling her with confusion.

"You...you can talk?"

"I am no ordinary wolf. I was once as human as you, but now I must remain in this furry body 'til I die."

"I see. Have you seen Ingeri? Is that why you want to help?" Gyda tried to respond politely while still in disbelief at what was going on.

"You may say that. What I must know first, child, is whether you truly love her or not."

"Um..." Gyda muttered hesitantly while curling up into a tight ball against the tree trunk. "I don't know..."

"Then it would do no good to help you. You are fueled only by fear of your father and your sister is just an afterthought..."

The wolf turned and trotted back the way it came. Gyda watched wide-eyed as the beast's words forced her to confront the truth about her relationship with Per and Ingeri.

"Wait!" She cried out, rising to her feet and running to catch up. "I do love my sister! Please, bring her back now!"

The wolf stopped and twisted it's head to look at her again. It's mouth curled into what appeared to be a toothy smile.

"Your wish is granted. Look behind you."

Gyda obeyed and was immediately greeted by Ingeri emerging from behind some trees. She smiled wearily as the younger girl wrapped both arms around her in a tight hug.

"Gyda, I'm so glad I've finally found you!" Ingeri squealed in joy while pressing her face against her sister's chest.

"Me too..." Gyda whispered in relief. "But if we go home, things will soon return to the way they once were. We cannot let that happen..."

"You are right. We must find someplace else to stay now. Perhaps another family will take us in?"

"Let us hope..."

At that, the sisters separated and held hands before heading deeper into the forest toward an uncertain fate. Nobody would see either of them again until the following morning, when somebody from a neighboring village came across an unusual sight.

* * *

The bodies of two young girls, with dark and fair hair respectively, were found slumped side by side against a particularly lofty tree. All color had drained from their faces and it was clear that both had frozen to death in the night.

What was most heartbreaking to those who observed the pair however, was the fact that their hands had welded together in such a way that separating them would require an incredible amount of physical effort.


End file.
